Jeremy Lin, playing in the Las Vegas NBA Summer League with Dallas, proved his all-around game in college, averaging 16.4 points, 4.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 1.1 blocks per game with Harvard.

The Dallas Mavericks were the only team to offer a summer league roster spot to Jeremy Lin, a guard from Harvard not taken in the NBA draft in June. After his strong performance in the league's games in Las Vegas, Lin is on the verge of signing an NBA contract. With whom is the question.

The 6-3 guard has an affinity for the Mavericks. But not being drafted gives him options to explore.

"My most obvious goal is to make an NBA roster," Lin said. "A lot of people haven't seen me play, coming from a smaller conference. ... I've known that I can play. I just needed a chance."

Lin is trying to become the first U.S.-born Asian to play in the NBA and the first from Harvard since forward Ed Smith with the New York Knicks in 1953-54. Lin held his own vs. Washington Wizards rookie guard and overall No. 1 pick John Wall with 13 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals Thursday. Lin energized the crowd with his passes and drives.

Mavs general manager Donnie Nelson said his staff has been following Lin since his freshman year: "He's a combo guard who plays a little one or a little two. He's athletic and makes everyone around him better."

First-round stars:Sacramento Kings rookie center DeMarcus Cousins entered the draft with a reputation as a player with a bad attitude. The No. 5 pick left the summer league seen as a competitor and producer who wants to win.

"He's still got a lot to learn," Kings coach Paul Westphal said. "But he does some things that help teams win. ... He's just somebody who cares about being good and seeing his team be good. We're as happy as can be that we have him."

• Wall was everything the Wizards wanted to see — on and off the court. He averaged 23.5 points and 7.8 assists, signed autographs far longer than necessary and easily handled several interviews.

"He's very mature for a 19-year-old," Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld said. "He's handled this whole situation extremely well. ... He's received a tremendous amount of attention but, as he says, he's going to stay humble. He has been."

Second-round hopefuls:Los Angeles Lakers forward Derrick Caracter, the 59th pick from Texas-El Paso, averaged 15.4 points and 8.6 rebounds and heads to training camp with a chance to make the team. It's the same for Knicks forward Landry Fields, the 39th pick, who averaged 15.6 points.

Contract dispute: Rookie guard Xavier Henry, drafted 12th by the Memphis Grizzlies, did not play in Las Vegas because he and the team are at odds over his contract. There isn't much room to negotiate rookie deals because first-round picks are paid according to a scale in the collective bargaining agreement. The Grizzlies want to pay Henry the maximum only if he reaches certain incentives.

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